Swinging refrigerator shelf



NOV. 10, 1953 F c 2,658,811

SWINGING REFRIGERATOR SHELF Filed Nov. 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 INVENTOR.

FL.QYD R.ECK BY ATTO R N EYS Nov. 10, 1953 F. R. ECK 2,658,811

SWINGING REFRIGERATOR SHELF Filed Nov. 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

FLOYD R. EQK

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 10, 1953 SWINGING REFRIGERATOR SHELF Floyd R. Eek, Des Plainest 111., assignor to Motor Products Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of New York Application November 6, 1950, Serial No. 194,227

1 Claim. (Cl.312--326) The present inventionrelates to a swinging refrigerator shelf and more particularly to a swinging shelf which is adapted to be resiliently retained in retracted position and which contains covered containers for leftovers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a swinging shelf for a refrigerator provided with a supporting hinge of novel construction.

It is afurther object of the presentinvention to provide a refrigerator shelf having a supporting hinge including torsion spring means for biasing the shelf toward retracted position.

. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a swinging shelf for a refrigerator including adjustable means for biasing the'shelf' toward retracted position. I t J It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator having a shelf, a fixed storage compartment locatedabove the shelf at one side of the refrigerator, a swinging shelf I the fixed storage compartment.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator having a storage compartment therein, a swinging shelf in said compartment including hinge means for mounting said shelf for swinging movement about a vertical axis disposed adjacent the front of said compartment to permit swinging movement of the shelf out of the compartment to afford access for storage and removal of articles in the space behind the shelf.v

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a swinging shelf of wire construction affording access to the side 'of the shelf exposed when th-eshelf is in retracted position, and also affording access to the side of the shelf exposed when the shelf is in extended position.-

' accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a refrigerator including the improved swinging shelf illustrated with the usual frontdoor closure re- =moved. I

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevational View of the swinging shelf.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the shelf showing its retracted position in full lines and its extended. position in dotted lines.

Figure 5 is a-section on the line 5-5, Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings there is illustrated in Figure 1 a refrigerator [0 having a storage compartment i2 provided with a plurality of shelves including a fixed shelf l4 defining thereabove a relatively large storage space l6. At one 7 side of the refrigerator and spaced substantially above the shelf 14 is a storage member [8 which is herein illustrated as a retractable compart ment but which might be any other type of storage member such forexample as a separate shelf.

Located atthe opposite side of the space I6 is a swinging refrigerator shelf indicated generally at 20. It will be observed that a substantial space is provided between the member l8 and the shelf to permit storage of relatively tall articles on the shelf M with their upper portions 7 extending into the space between the member I8 and the shelf 20s 1 Referring now to Figures 2, 3 and 4, the ref frigerator shelf comprises essentially a bottom I border wire 22, a top border wire 24, vertical wires 25, 26, and 21 interconnecting the top and bot- V tomborder wires, and a plurality of relatively small wires 28 extending across and secured to the underside of the bottom borderwire 2.2 to

. form a floor for the shelf. Inasmuch as the rela- I ment. serving to retain articles on the shelf. If 1 desired, the wires 22 and 24 may carry fiat decorative trim strips 29 at the front.

It will also be observed that due to the spac ing and location of the vertical wires, 25, 26, and

- 21,, the entire front ofthe shelf constructionis open when it is in retracted position and. substantially the: entire side of the shelf construction is open to permit ready insertion of leftovers containers, as indicated at 30, 3| and 32. Moreover, it will be observed that the containers 30, 3! and 32 are shaped to take full advantage of the space provided and fit in such a manner as to occupy substantially the entirehorizontal area of the shelf construction.

The shelf construction is provided with a vertical hinge construction adjacentits front corner," by means of which it is hingedto'the' inner wall of the storage compartment of the refrigerator. In order that forward swinging 

